The Axemen running back position features returning starter DeMario Pippen from Tuskegee University who rushed for 197 yards and 5 touchdowns last season. Local player Avery Walker from Bemidji State University rushed for 1,586 yards and 12 touchdowns in college. Chris Douglas from Missouri State University rushed for 1,887 yards and 18 touchdowns in college. Mulku Kalokoh from Southern Illinois University contributed on special teams with 2 blocked punts and a punt returned for a touchdown. Brandon Anderson from Fort Valley State University had multiple injuries but rushed for 85 yards and 2 touchdowns.

1. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Adam Barnhardt, General Manager
abarnhardt@bemidjiaxemen.com
218.444.8216
AXEMEN RUNNINGBACK BREAKDOWN
A position by position breakdown of the Axemen
Bemidji, MN –
 DeMario Pippen, 5’9/193, Tuskegee University
Pippen returns for his second year with the Axemen. In 2013 Pippen was second on the team with 197 yards on 65 rushes
and five touchdowns.Was a big part of the passing game where he broughtin 131 yards on 17 receptions and one
touchdown. Pippen spentthe firstthree years of his college career at Jackson State University before transferring to
Tuskegee Universityto play his senior year. In 2011, he started nine of 10 games for the Tigers,recording 125 carries and
584 yards and 5 touchdowns as well as 15 passes for 126 yards. He finished the season second on the team in receptions
and in individual scoring (30 points). After college,Pippen signed an undrafted free agentcontract with the Denver Broncos .
 Avery Walker,5’10/205,Bemidji State University
Played his college football at local Bemidji State University where he rushed for 1,586 on 312 attempts (5.1 yards per rush)
and 12 touchdowns along with 189 yards receiving on 11 receptions and three touchdowns.Rushed for 1,314 yards his
senior season which led the team and was third in the Northern Sun Conference.He was named All-NSIC North Division
First Team Offense,Don Hansen Football All-Super Region Three and Bemidji State’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2013.
Before BSU Walker played in 10 games while atMesabi Range CommunityCollege in the 2010 season,leading the team in
rushing with a total of 859 yards on 159 carries.He accumulated 10 touchdowns during the 2010 season.Walker was also
awarded firstteam all-region and FirstTeam All-MCAC during his career at Mesabi.He played at Homestead High School in
Milwaukee,Wisconsin, winning two state championships during his career
 Chris Douglas, 5’9/200, Missouri State University
Douglas played his college football atMissouri State University where he rushed for 1,887 yards on 370 attempts (5.1 yards
per rush) and 18 rushing touchdowns.He broughtin 35 receptions for 225 yards (6.4 yards per receptions) an d three
touchdowns in 33 games.He earned All-Missouri ValleyFootball Conference honorable mention in 2010.Before playing for
Missouri State University, Douglas played atPasadena City College where he collected 135 yards on 27 carries and two
touchdown along with 18 receptions for 163 yards and two touchdowns.Lettered in football and track at Peachtree Ridge
High School. Signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agentin 2013.
 Mulku Kalokoh, 5’10/195,Southern Illinois University
Kalokoh played his college football at Southern Illinois Universitywhere he had 161 yards on 43 rushes along with 49 yards
receiving on seven receptions. Was a key contributor on special teams where he blocked two punts and returned one for
touchdowns thatearned in MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Before playing for Southern Illinois University,Kalokoh
played at Coffeyville CommunityCollege where he rushed for 1,197 yards and 18 touchdowns along with 798 receiving
yards on 89 receptions and four touchdowns and was an All-KJCCC honorable mention in 2010. Played his high school
football at Potomac High School where he was named All-Districttwice,All-State and All-Metro his senior season.
 Brandon Anderson, 6’0/217, Fort Valley State University

2. Anderson played his college football at Fort Valley State University where he had multiple injuries butaccumulated 85 yards
on 23 rushes and two touchdowns.He played high school football at Warner Robins High School in Warner Robins,Georgia.
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The Bemidji Axemen are a second-year franchise playing in the Indoor Football League. The Axemen player their games on Palace Casino Field at the Sanford Center. For more
information on the team, visit www.bemidjiaxemen.com.
The Indoor Football League (www.goifl.com) is a 10-team league with franchises in 9 states. The league holds a 14-game regular season schedule that runs February through June. The
IFL's playoffs culminate in July with the IFL United Bowl.
The Sanford Center opened on October 15, 2010. It has a full arena seating capacity of 6,500 and is home ice for the Bemidji State University Beavers Hockey program. The attached
George M. Neilson Convention Center features four break-out rooms with a combined space of 4,000 square feet facing Lake Bemidji and a grand ballroom space of 10,000 sq. feet.